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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, 

BUKEAU OF EBUCATIOX. 



PROGRESS OF WESTERN EW«AHI}N 






CHINA AND SIAM. 



Department of the Interior, 

Bureau of Education, 

Wasliington, August 3, 1880. 
The attentiou of scliool officers aud teacliers is invited to the folloTving interesting 
acconuts of the ijrogress of western ideas aud educational methods in China and Siam, 
forwarded to the Department of State by the United States minister at Peking and 
the United States consul at Bangkok, respectively. 

JOHN EATON, 
■• Commissioner. 



WASHINGTON: 

GOVTiiIlN3IE:srT PRINTIT^a OFFICE, 

1880. 






vv^ 



5^ 



CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO WESTERN EDUCA- 
TION IN CHINA AND- SUM. 




Mr. Evarts to Mr. Schurz. 

Department of State, 
Washington, May 12, 1380. 
Sir: I bave the honor to transmit herewith, for the benefit of the Bureau of Educa- 
tion, copies of dispatches Nos. 600 and 612 from our legation at Pelcing, detailing the 
progress of western education in China. 

The inclosure with No. 600, being j)riuted matter, is too voluminous for copying, but 
will be sent for perusal if desired. 

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, 

WM. M. EVARTS. 



Mr. Seward to Mr. Evarfs. 

No. 600.] Legation of the United States, 

Peking, February 21, 1380. 

Sir: There has lately been published in the North China Daily News, at Shanghai, 
a statement, from the pen of Mr. John Freyer, of work done in the "translations 
department " of the arsenal at Shanghai. 

This so-called arsenal is a large establishment, in which vessels of war ai"e built, guns 
cast, and small arms made. It employs, or did employ a few years ago, on the occasion 
of my last visit to it, about fifteen hundred hands. These were all Chinese, with the 
exception of some half dozen superintendents and specialists. It had grown to these 
dimensions in a veiy few years, and appeared likely to receive the continued support 
of the government. 

I was aware that a scientific school and a department of translations had been es- 
tablished in connection with the arsenal, but I was not prepared to leam that so much 
has been accomplished by the latter of these as appears from Mr. Freyer's report. Of 
what the school is doing I am not informed at the moment, but it ajipears that a very 
large number of our text books have been translated into Chinese in the translations 
department, and that the Chinese connected with it have shown a degree of zeal which 
promises much for the future. 

While referring you to Mr. Freyers very interesting paper for the details of this 
work, I may remark that the education of the Chinese in our knowledge is going for- 
ward in many ways. You are familiar with the facts in regard to the educational 
mission in the United States. 

About one hundred and twenty young Chinamen, supported and paid by this gov- 
ernment, are now in various schools and colleges in our country, gaining all that is 
available in the way of knowledge from us to bring it into use here. Perhaps half as 
many more are studying in Europe. Here at Peking, the university presided over by 
Dr. Martin is iirogressiug A'ery favorably. There is a school at Foochow connected 
with the arsenal there, and another one at Cautou. 



4 WESTERN EDUCATION IN CHINA AND SIAM. 

All of these ethicatioual enterprises are sustained by the government. Besides 
these, however, there are many schools, of a more or less advanced order, in charge of 
and supported by the several foreign missionary bodies, where other branches than 
those directly coiinected with the moral and religious purposes of the missionaries are 
taught. Educational work is fortunately of such a nature that its results are felt in a 
constantly increasing measure. It has been progressive everywhere else, and there is 
enough in Mr. Freyer's paper alone to show that it will be progressive here. The 
people are eager to avail themselves of the opportunities offered to them, and the gov- 
ernment ajjpears as the patron of western knowledge. 

Under such circumstances it is possible to take a hopeful view of the future of China, 
despite all her conservatism. 

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, 

GEORGE F. SEWARD. 



Mr. Seward to Mr. Evarts. 

No. 61'2.] Legation of the Uxited States, 

Feling, February 29, 1880. 
Sir: Recurring to my dispatch No. 600, in regard to the work done in the "trans- 
lations department" of the Shanghai arsenal, I have now the honor to hand to you a 
leading article Avhich I have taken from the Shanghai Courier, in regard to foreign 
education for the Chinese, and to say that I have asked our several consular officers 
to report to me what is being done at their several j)orts in the direction indicated. 
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, 

CAORGE F. SEWARD. 



[Extinct from the Shanghai Courier of Friday, January 30, 1880.] 
Foreign education for the Chinese. 

A greater knowledge of western civilization than is now possessed is essential to 
the progress of the Middle Kingdom. To individual Chinese, foreign education is 
something of a fortune, and is the surest capital ^yith which they can be invested. 
The saying that "knowledge is power" is well borne out in this case, for foreign 
knowledge is almost certain to obtain for a Chinaman a lucrative appointment and an 
improved social position. Parents are now realizing tlys fact, and many of the well- 
to-do Chinese are anxious to send their sons to Europe or America to be educated. The 
advantage of such an education can hardly be overestimated in the case of those who 
have before them official or public careers. 

At the same time there are considerable drawbacks to going abroad, and it may be 
questioned whether, in many instances, eiiually good results could not be secured 
without incurring so great a loss of time and expense — a loss so considerable as to pre- 
vent the benefit from being enjoyed by all but the wealthy or those supported by other 
than the family funds. For of course the sons of even what may be called the middle 
classes cannot aftbrd to leave their country in order to be educated, and, unless they 
can receive foreign instruction in China, will not receive it at all. It cannot be de- 
nied that residence abroad possesses some advantages which cannot bo obtained in 
China ; yet, excei)t in rare cases, those iiarticular advantages are not the most needed. 

Why should not useful knowledge be imparted to the Chinese as well in China as it 
can be in Europe or America? The drawbacks to a Chinaman's residing away from 
his home for the time needed to follow a regular course of instruction are sometimes 
not duly considered. The Chinese are apt, as has been pointed out, to be " too much 
Europeanized." Especially are they likely to neglect their native language, and so 
on their return lessen their opportunities of usefulness and prospects of promotion. 
Particularly is this so with a large class Avho hope to qualify themselves for the posi- 
tion of ludfcssors. A teacher must not only be acquainted with his stibject, but he 



WESTERN EDUCATION IX CHINA AND SI AM. 5 

must also be able to impart Ms knowledge to others ; ^yllich it is impossible he can do if 
he has ouly au imperfect acquaintance with the language which is the medium of 
communication. It should always be borne in mind that foreign knowledge, thouo'li 
exceedingly useful, is not all-important to a Chinaman, and that even its usefulness 
may be greatly diminished if it is obtained at cost of the neglect of his mother tongue. 
Looking, therefore, to the expense of being educated abroad, and to its serious incon- 
veniences, especially to the fact that it must ever be beyond the reach of all but the 
rich, it is of great importance to consider how a similar education can be had in China. 
It would be very incorrect to speak of the local polytechnic as a failure, but it is, as 
yet, a long way from having realized the objects of its promoters. Its educational 
facilities are great, and thongh it is now doiug good and useful work, we trust to see 
it become something very ditierent to what it is at the present moment. There are 
few institutions in Hong Kong which have conferred greater benefits on the Chinese 
than the Central School ; and it is surprising that an attempt has not been made to 
establish something of the kind at Shanghai. The St. John's College will, it is hojied, 
contribute towards supplying what is a seriouslj' felt want. 

At this institution the course of instruction comprises the English language and 
literature, geography, history, the evidences of Christianity, natural science, mathe- 
matics, natural philosophy, chemistry, astronomy, mental and moral philosophy, and 
international law. This is a sufficiently extended curriculum to begin with, but it is 
intended to enlarge it if the project be successful. Pupils are required to be fifteen 
years of age and to possess some knowledge of the Chinese classics. We believe that 
the Hong Kong Central School owes much of its success to the purely secular character 
of its teaching ; and many who take great interest in the foreign education of the 
Chinese will perhaps note with regret the religious element of St. John's College. 
But the two institutions are of a difterent character, and it could hardly be expected 
that the work carried on at St. John's should be purely secular. The promoters have, 
however, met possible objections in a spirit which, under the circumstances, must, we 
think, be considered liberal. They wish it to be distinctly nnderstood "that St. John's 
College is a literary and scientific school, and not per se a theological institute." A 
student must attend the daily prayers at chaiiel and the nsual Sunday services, but in 
other respects he is free to devote himself to the secular side of the daily routine of 
class work. Many people would have been glad if the authorities had allowed at- 
tendance at prayers and Sunday service to be voluntary, and probably the chief end 
in view might have been better reached in that manner. Yet, though the requirement 
may restrict the usefulness of the institution, preventing it being generally availed 
of, we are pleased to call attention to it as being calculated to confer great advan- 
tages on the Chinese youth, and to ofter it the encouragement of publicity. It may 
be well to note that the charge for board and tuition is exceedingly moderate. 



Mr. Ray to Mr. Schurz. 

Depautment of State, 

Waslibigton, August 1.3, 1330. 
Sir: I have the honor to inclose herein, for transmission to the Bureau of Educa- 
tion, a copy of a recent dispatch from the late minister to China, Mr. Geo. F. Seward, 
covering the replies which he has received from the United States consular officers in 
that empire as to the eft'orts which are being made for the education of the Chinese 
in foreign branches of knowledge, either by the government of China, by private en- 
terprise, or by missionary eftbrts. 

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant, 

JOHN HAY, 

Acting Secretary. 



6 WESTERN EDUCATION IN CHINA AND SIAM. 

Mr. Seward to Mr. Evarts. 

No. 705.] Legation of the United States, 

rekvig, June 11, 1880, 
Sir.: I have tbe liouor to liaud to yon licrewith copies of the answers "which have 
been received from our consular officers in this empire to the inquiry made in a cir- 
cular addressed to them as to efforts being made to educate the Chinese in foreign 
branches of knowledge, either by the government of China, by private enterprise, or 
by missionary effort. The circular referred to was forwarded to the Department with 
my dispatch No. 600. 

While these reports are not as full as I could have Avished, they still furnish an 
outline of the work which is being done, and may be of interest to the Department. 
I have the honor to be, sir, vour obedient servant, 

GEOEGE F. SEWARD. 



Mr. (ioJdshoroufjli to Mr. Seward. 

No. 107.] ^ Amoy, JpriJ 23, 1880. 

Sir : In response to your dispatch No. 86, of February 27, 1880, I beg to state that 
there are two private English schools at this port for the education of Chinese, con- 
ducted by native born Chinese, who possess a fair knowledge of the English lan- 
guage, but there is no institution of the kind founded or supi^orted by the govern- 
ment. 

The missionaries have several schools of their own for the tuition of Chinese boys 
and girls in the Chinese language. 
I have the honor, »S:c., 

W. ELWELL GOLDSBOROUGH. 



Mr. Cheshire to Mr. Seward. 

No. 55.] FoocHow, March 29, 1880. 

Sir : I have had the honor to receive your dispatch No. 78, calling upon me to fur- 
nish you with such information as may be available to me in regard to the education 
of Chinese in foreign languages within this consular district, whether in schools 
founded and supported by the Chinese government, or by private enterprise, or by 
missionaries, as far as the secular branches are concerned, and also to report upon the 
schools established at Hong Kong by the colonial government. 

I now beg to submit the following report : 

The Tung wen Kwan is the only scholastic institution under government auspices 
for teaching foreign knowledge in Canton. It was established by order of the Tsung 
li Yamen about sixteen years ago. It is under the official control of the viceroy, the 
haikwau (superintendent of customs), the Tartar general, and two lieutenant Tartar 
generals, but the practical control is left almost entirely in the hands of the Tartar 
general, to whom it affords opportunities of i)atrouage, for the staff" is large, and the 
members thereof not only beuefft by the salaries they receive but their official ap- 
pointment as officers of the college (Tung wen Kwan) forms a stepping-stone to pro- 
motion in other ))ranches of the puldic service. The staff" consists of three sui)erin- 
tendents, (the chief of whom holds rank about equivalent to that of a major general), 
three Chinese teachers, a foreign teacher with a Chinese assistant, two Chinese clerks, 
doorkeei)ers, cooks, and other servants. The number of students is fixed at thirty, of 
whom twenty are classed as students proper and ten as supernumerary students, the 
latter being intended to fill vacancies as they occur in the former ; and when, from 
various causes, the total number falls to twenty or twenty-five, fresh supernumera- 
ries are added to make up the number. The students proper receive a small pay of 



WESTEKN EDUCATION IN CHINA AND SIAM. 7 

three taels a moutli, but the snperuumeraries receive uothiug exceiit a free breakfast 
every day. 

It is cUfHcult to clefiDe the raison d'etre of the Tuug wen Kwau College ; iu theory 
it is established to provide the Chinese government with a staff of interjnreters and 
persons conversant with foreign literature and foreign habits of thought ; but, so far 
as can be judged by patent facts, the patronage above referred to is the element most 
appreciated, and it may be well to notice the extent to which the theoretical object 
has been carried out, and how far the Chinese government has availed itself of the 
material for the production of which something like eight hundred dollars a month 
has been expended for the last sixteen years in the maintenance of the college. 

About ten years ago fourteen students were drafted from Canton to the Peking col- 
lege. Of these, five have retired from various causes, six are still attached to the Peking 
College, and the remaining three have appointments in legations abroad, one in AVash. 
ingtou, one in London, and one in Japan. Since 1870 not one student has been drafted 
to Peking; none of the Canton students have in any way been called upon to ren- 
der service to their government. Most of them have received an honorary literary 
degree (Hsin Tsai) equivalent to b. a., and three or four of them are nominally inter- 
preters, for which they receive a small additional pay. Year after year passes, and 
boys of 17 grow up to be men of 27, marry and become fathers, and go on with their 
foreign studies without so much as a word of encouragement from their own authori- 
ties. Under such discouraging circumstances it must be that studying is often done 
in a perfunctory way; and yet, while some of the students have, as I understand, a 
very good knowledge of English, wanting only j)ractice outside the school walls to 
render it equal to that of any Chinaman who has not had the advantage of living 
abroad, they constantly witness men of less technical knowledge than themselves, 
men of lower stamji altogether, men picked up here and there without any proper 
steps being taken to ascertain their fitness, called upon to perform the very duties for 
the performance of which the students of the Tung wen Kwau are in theory sjiecially 
educated. 

The course of study, I am informed, consists chiefly of the English language, to- 
gether with but subordinate to which there are geography, arithmetic, history, alge- 
bra, mathematics, and astronomy. A very small i>roportion of the students have 
made any progress in algebra or mathematics, few are even fair arithmeticians, and 
much that they are called upon to learn of geography, history, and astionomy is soon 
forgotten. This arises from no want of ability, but from an utter want of encourage- 
ment on the part of the Chinese authorities for the students to trouble themselves 
with such studies. Without a reasonable knowledge of the language they are liable, on 
the motion of the foreign teacher, to be dismissed from the school, and in the acquisi- 
tion of that they are to some extent buoyed up with hope, a hope that sometimes be- 
comes lamentably faint, that the language will ultimately be of service to them; but 
with respect to the other branches, I am given to understand, no person in authority, 
exceiit the foreign teacher, seems to know or care whether they are taught or not. 

The students consist almost entirely of Tartars (including bannermen). Originally 
about one-third were Chinese, but it was found that, after learning English at the ex- 
pense of government, these latter generally disappeared. The Tartars are much 
more bound to the government, and are loyal, both from ti'aining and self-interest. 
As young men, they are fiir more noble and honorable in their character than the Chi- 
nese, lacking in a great measure the low cunning which characterizes the latter, espe- 
cially when they get official employment. But it is hard to say how far their natural 
nobility and honor would suffer if they were thrown into that vortex of corruption 
and dishonesty which pertaius to ofiicial life. 

I am informed that there has, for the jjast year or two, been an intention to add a 
German and a French department to the Canton Coll(>ge, and that extensive xtremises 
have been erected for this purpose, but some difficulty about funds seems to have 
caused further steps to be postponed. 



8 WESTERN EDUCATION IN CHINA AND SIAM. 

Frivaie schooh. — There arc no private schools worthy of the name in Canton for 
teaching foreign languages. Now and then a small school is opened, in which English 
is professed to be taught by a man whose knowledge of that language is too limited 
to fit him for other employment, and after a brief struggle these schools die out, one 
after another. There is no doubt that the advantages oii'ered by the government 
schools in Hong Kong are too great to enable private schools in Canton to compete 
with them. 

Missionary schools. — None of the missionaries in Canton teach English or any other 
foreign language to their Chinese pupils now, nor have they for some years. They 
found by experience that it was very difficult to teach English to their pupils because 
of their inaptitude to learn western languages; that the object of the majority who 
came to their schools (formerly) to learn English was simply to get a sufficient knowl- 
edge of that language to enable them to get some lucrative employment with foreign- 
ers, and as soon as they had acquired a little smattering of English they disappeared 
and passed away beyond their Christian instruction. 

I shall endeavor to furnish you with some particulars in rcgjird to the schools estab- 
lished at Hong Kong by the colonial government shortly. 
I have the honor, &C., 

F. D. CHESHIRE. 



Mr, Scnigr/s to Mr. Sctcard. 

No. 21. ] CuiNKiAXG, March 24, 188G. 

Sir : I had the honor to receive on the 21st instant your dispatch No. 63, of the 
27th February last. In response thereto I regret to say there is not a school of any 
kind, native or foreign, public or j)rivate, secular or religious, within this district in 
which Chinese are educated by foreign methods or in foreign knowledge. The mis- 
sionary schools are all conducted in the native language, and their curriculum con- 
fined to purely religious and sectarian instruction. A few young men among the 
native residents of this port take lessons in the English language from a native inter- 
preter educated at Hong Kong but now employed here in the customs service. But 
they seek to know no more of our language than is barely necessary to aid them in 
business transactions with foreigners, and whiit they do thus acquire is little else 
than the barbarous and childish dialect known as "Pigein English." I know of bul 
one exception, and that is the case of General Wong, the military commander here, 
an educated Chinaman, who is ambitious to enter the diplomatic service of his 
country. 

I am, sir, &c., 

WILLIAM L. SCRUGGS. 



Mr. De Lano to Mr. Seuard. 

No. 1G4. ] Foociiow, May .5, 1880. 

Sir: I have had the hcmor to receive your dispatch No. 109, asking me for such in- 
formation as may be availaV)le to me in regard to the education of Chinese in foreigi 
knowledge in this consular district. 

There are at the Foochow arsenal two schools, one under English and the othe: 
under French management. In the former the number of students varies betweei 
30 and r>0, and the studios pursued are English, arithmetic, geometry, geography 
grammar, trigonometry, algebra, and navigation. In a four and a half years' coursi 
the students receive from the government a monthly stipeiul of $4. 

There is a naval and a mechaiiical branch of the same school, each having an aver 
age of 25 students receiving the same monthly allowance from the govcrinnent, whicl 
also pays aye^y liberal salary to the jirofessors in charge. 



WESTERN EDUCATION IN CHINA AND SIAM. 9 

The school under French management has about 40 pupils, in four divisions, study- 
ing French, arithmetic, elements of algebra and geometry, trigoTiometry, analytic 
geometry and calculus, mechanical engineering, transmission of power and friction. 
The branches of this school are a school of design and school of apprentices, the pu- 
pils pursuing many of the studies enumerated above and receiving the same stipend 
of $4 a month. The professor is also very liberally paid. 

I know of no schools founded by private enterprise in which foreign studies are 
pursued. There are several schools for both males and females conducted by foreign 
missionaries in which other than secular branches of study are pursued, say, the ele- 
mentary branches, such as geography, mathematics, astronomy, &c., but all in the 
Chinese language. 

I am unable at present to state the number of pupils usually in attendance in these 
latter schools. 

I have the honor to be, &c., 

M. M. De LANO. 



Mr. Shepard to Mr. Seicard. 

No. 45. ] Hankow, April 10, 1880. 

Sir : Referring to your No. 8.5, on the subject of educating natives in foreign sci- 
ences, I have to report that I cannot learn of anything done in my district of any mo- 
ment. At sundry times some foreigners wanting employment have opened small 
schools in Hankow, intending to teach people of any age to read English. The 
results have been inconsiderable, as the enterprise has in all cases been abandoned 
as soon as more lucrative pursuits have been available. Besides this, I know of no 
efforts made in the direction of your inquiry except some work of Dr. A. C. Bumr, of 
the American Episcopal mission at Wu-Chang, who, before he left, gave some instruc- 
tion to a few converts in the theory and practice of medicine. In his view his results 
were encouraging, but not fully developed. 

I am informed also that Dr. Manby, now located here in charge of the London Mis- 
sion Hospital, is jireparing a system of instruction, and intends soon to put it in oi)era- 
tiou, for the systematic training of native pupils in the jiriuciples and science of phys- 
iology, with surgical and medical training, in a course of some years' duration in 
connection with his important hospital work. Beyond these I know of nothing done 
in the line of your investigation. 
I am, sir, &c., 

ISAAC F. SHEPARD. 



Mr. Baudinel to Mr. Seuard. 

No. 42—625.] New Chwaxg, March 30, 1880. 

Sir : In rcspouse to your excellency's dispatch No. 66, I have the honor to state that, 
as far as I can learn, there is not within the three Mantchoorian provinces any school 
founded or supported by native official or iirivate enterprise in which foreign knowl- 
edge is imparted to Chinese students. From inquiries among the missionaries I learn 
that — 

The Roman Catholics have a college under foreign supervision, wherein 26 pupils are 
instructed in Latin, philosoi)hy, theology, and the elements of geography, mathe- 
matics, &-C., and whence 4 pupils have been ordained as priests. 

The Irish Preshyterian Mission has a boys' school under the suiiervision of a clerical 
missionary, wherein 20 scholars, from 9 to 13 years of age, are instructed in geogra- 
phy, penmanship, and the course of (4) reading books used in the government schools 
at Hong Kong. They will learn, when more advanced, arithmetic and other subjects. 
There is also the nucleus of a girls' school, only two pupils, suiiervised by the mission- 



10 WESTERN EDUCATION IN CHINA AND SIAM. 

ary's wife, who teaches them plain sewing in addition to the above branches of knowl- 
edge. 

Mr. Carson also contemplates starting a day school in the heart of the city, in con- 
nection with the above mentioned which are held in his compound. 

The medical missionary of the Irish Presbyterian Mission has in his own compound a 
boys' school with 15 scholars, and in an adjacent building a girls' school with 9 schol- 
ars. Many of these are too young to learn much, but the elder ones learn geography 
(Wade's book), and three boys and three girls are taught to read and write English. 

The Scotch United Presbyterians have a mission here, but apparently neither in their 
boys' school, recently discontinued, nor in their girls' school, which numbers 14 schol- 
ars, has any foreign secular education been, except indirectly, imparted. The girls, 
however, are learning foreign needlework. 
I have the honor, &c., 

J. J. F. BANDINEL. 



My Deak Mr. Bandixel : In our boys' school, which we have now discontinued, our 
object was to give the children of our church members a Chinese classical education, 
such as they would receive in a first class native school. Our principle was that of the 
grammar schools at home. Outside of the regular lessons, there was daily the "religious 
hour," or morning and evening class, where I instructed them in religious truth. I 
only bound myself to spend one hour per day with the scholars, and therefore never 
formally laid myself out to train them in foreign knowledge. But I have, of course, 
introduced all manner of subjects in my illustrations, making it a point incidentally 
to introduce whatever knowledge of historical and scientific subjects I myself pos- 
sessed. The school room has always been well supplied with books. I think we have 
had almost every foreign work which has been translated, and we take in for the school, 
1st, the Globe Magazine ; 2d, the Scientific Magazine ; 3d, the Child's Paper. I have 
several times had teachers who took a great interest in these periodicals, and who did 
what they could to make the subjects intelligible to their pupils. We still continue 
a floiuishing girls' school. W^e also teach the Chinese classics there, and with great 
success ; though the classics are, as it were, taught incidentally, and scripture his- 
tory, &c., forms the bulk of the teaching. The girls are being taught foreign needle- 
work, but have not made any very great attainments. But in most cases the direct 
teaching lias borne mostly on Chinese subjects, and we have trusted to the personal 
intinence of the foreigners to communicate foreign knowledge. 

Yours, sincerely, 

J. MACINTYRE. 



My Dear Mr. Bandixel : In reply to your letter of the 18th instant, I beg to state 
that the secular subjects taught in the school are geography, penmanship, and the 
course of reading books taught in the government school at Hong Kong. 

These reading books, four in number, in a graduated series, treat of a great variety 
of subjects, both foreign and native. As soon as the children are far enough advanced, 
they will be taught arithmetic and other subjects. 

The school is a free boarding school, supported by the mission, and our object is to 

train for ourselves a staff of native helpers. 

Believe me, &c., 

JAMES CARSON. 



My Dear Mr. Bandixel: The only secular instruction given in my school is in 
geography. I have given half a dozen children, three girls and lliiee boys, lessons iu 
English. The lessons are merely in reading and writing. 
This is all I have to say in reply to your communication of the Uth instant. 
I am yours, very rinlv. 

.1. M. HUNTER. 



WESTERN EDUCATION IN CHINA AND SI AM. 11 

[Translation.] 

Most Illustriox'S Sir : I make a brief answer to your excellency concerning the 
inquiry of the most noble minister in charge of the legation for the consulate of 
America in Peking. 

In our region, Mantchooria — that is, in the three provinces of Mukden, Kirin, and 
Saghalien — there has existed, so far as I know, no school or institution founded by the 
Chinese government or established by private citizens in which pujpils may study- 
European sciences and acquire some knowledge of the arts of foreign nations. 

As regards the Catholic mission, which has been intrusted to my care, we have 
founded one college, with Drs. Boyer and Hiuard as rectors, in which twenty-six 
pujiils study Latin language, philosophy, and theology, as well as geography, mathe- 
matics, &c. Four graduates from this college have been ordained priests already, an(5 
are offering themselves with most jileasing readiness for the service of pi'eaching and 
directing the Christians of the region. 

Nor, indeed, am I able to give your excellency any information upon the subject of 
your question of yesterday. Meanwhile I pray God that He may bestow all blessings 
npon your excellency, whom I desire to make certain of mj- resxDect. 

Most devotedlv, yours in Christ, 

C. DUBRAIL, 

Bl^liop of BoUiia, Vicar Apostolic, of Mantchooria. 



Mr. Lord 1o Mr. Seward. 

No. 119.] NiNGPO, April 20, 1880. 

Sir : I am sorry that I have not been able to reply earlier to j^our dispatch No. 57, 
requesting such information as I might have in regard to the education of Chinese iii 
foreign knowledge within this consular district. 

Nothing, I believe, has been done in this respect by the Chiuese government or by 
Chinese officials in this province, either to found or sustain schools in which foreign 
knowledge has been taught. Nor has anything worth speaking of been accomplished 
by private enterprise, outside of missionaries. There was a small attempt made here 
a few years ago to get uj) an English school for natives, but it came to nothing, very- 
likely through the incapacity of the person who undertook it. 

Missionaries from the beginning of their work here have had schools of various 
kinds. The object of these schools has, of course, been religious. Yet, as in religious 
schools at home, secular knowledge has been taught in them to some extent. 

Missionaries in this part of China have not, as a general thing, encouraged their 
pupils to learn English, but they have tried to teach them history, geography, mathe- 
matics, philosophy, astronomy, jjhysiology, medicine, &c., and their efforts have, no 
doubt, been attended with some success. The number thus instructed may not have 
been very large, and bearing in mind the great difficulties under which the instruction 
must have been given, we can hardly suppose that the results have been very great ; 
still, something has been done. A beginning, at least, has been made in the work of 
a higher and better education among this people. Though aside from these mission 
schools there have been in this place no organized efforts for the education of Chinese 
in foreign knowledge, one will yet often meet with Chinese who have acquired more 
or less of this knowledge. Some of these have been taught in schools elsewhere, 
either at other ports or in foreign countries, and others have, in one way or another, 
been so related that this knowledge has in various degrees come to them. And these 
instances are continually increasing. The number of Chinese who speak English, and 
who have more or less Euglish education, is less here than at some of the other ports. 
They naturally go to places where there is ai demand for these qualifications. There 
has, so far, been very little demand for them here. 

This reminds me of a matter Jo wliich I have long been wishing to call your atten- 



12 WESTERN EDUCATION IN CHINA AND SIAM. 

tion. It is the iuconvenience and disadvantage under which consular officers are 
placed in being required to write their dispatches in Chinese to Chinese officials. I 
wish to say something on this subject, but perhaps I had better do it in another letter, 
and when I have more leisure. 



I have the honor, &c. 



EDWARD C. LORD. 



II. SIAM. 

Mr. Evartii to Mr. Scharz. 

DErAUTMENT OF StATE, 

Washington, May 17, 1880. 
Sir : I have tiie honor to transmit herewith, for the information of your Department, 
a copy of dispatch No. 150, dated March 18, 1880, from the consul at Bangkok, Siam, 
in relation to the system of education lately introduced into Siam. 
*I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, 

WM. M. EVARTS. 



Mr. Sickels to Mr. Payson. 

No. 150.] Consulate of the United States of America, 

Bangkok, iSiam, March 18, 1880. 

Sir : I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Department disjiatches Nos. 57, 
58, and bi), dated resiiectively December 1 and 6, 1879, and January 6, 1880, all at hand 
by the same mail. 

In regard to the information required by the Department of the Interior, referred to 
in No. 57, 1 have the honor to inclose a private letter on the subject from Rev. Dr. Mc- 
Farlaud, the principal of the King's College and the originator and founder of the new 
system of education lately introduced into the kingdom. This letter contains all the 
information procurable on the subject. Dr. McFarland was for many years in charge 
of the American Presbyterian mission schools in Petchaburi, and is well qualified for 
the position to which he has been transferred. 

Although too modest to claim any merit for himself in this new work, I am satisfied 
from my own observation and the reports of the committees who have the matter in 
charge, that our countryman's success in the conduct of this new school has been fully 
up to the expectations formed, has met with His Majesty's approval and given him full 
satisfaction. I do not, however, think that this success, or indeed any, if much greater, 
will induce the government to extend the area of operation and establish at present 
any general school system throughout the kingdom, or even at the prominent points. 

The Siamese are vast projectors and their ideas in the beginning are large, but their 
})]ans taper very much and very abruptly as the charm of novelty passes away and de- 
mands on the purse increase. There is, besides, a strong party of the old regime who 
do not approve of education in any form, particularly in foreign languages and studies, 
who believe implicitly in the wisdom of their ancestors, and obstinately oppose them- 
selves to any attempt at removing the ancient landmarks wherever posted. 

The party of progress, "Young Siam," appreciate the' value of the old adage, "The 
more haste the less speed," and their policy is to move slowly and gradually, temporiz- 
ing rather than raising bitter issues, abiding their time, until its efillux shall have re- 
moved the more acrid and influential members of the old conservative party and left 
the field clear for the introduction of more modern and more enlightened ideas. 

The King is young; the contemporaries ami counsellors of his father are old. He 
kas all the advantage on his side and can aft'ord to wait. In the mean time the influ- 
ence of this school is extending itself by means of tha younger branches through the 



WESTERN EDUCATION IN CHINA AND SIAM. 13 

princijtal families of tlie kingdom, and can scarcely fail to produce iu the new good 
time favorable results. 

I am, sir, your obedient servant, 

DAVID B. SICKELS, 

United States Consul. 



My Dkar Mr. Torry : In compliance with your request, I will now give you some 
items of information in reference to tlie educational work recently commenced in 
Siam. So far as I know, the desire for the education of Siamese youth originated with 
His Majesty the King. 

Being in Bangkok in November, 1877, His Excellency Phy a Bhaskarawongse, the 
King's private secretary, sought a iirivate interview with me, and informed me that 
His Majesty desired to have a school started in Bangkok, and asked me what I thought 
of taking charge of it. I asked time to consider the subject. His excellency then re- 
quested me to write out a j)lan for a school. In a few months after this, I replied favor- 
ably to the proposition to take charge of a school and also presented a plan. His ex- 
cellency then secured for me an audience with the King, at which time His Majesty 
informed me that he had fully determined to have schools. 

About a year after this, or in October, 1878, I entered into an engagement iu an article 
with the committee appointed by the King to take charge of a school for five years. 
That school was opened in Bangkok on the 1st of January, 1879, with 50 scholars, 
mostly sons of noblemen and a few j)rinces. These 50 scholars were selected by the 
committee, placed in the school under my care and control, and they are taught and 
boarded at government expense. Day scholars receive their tuition and books free, but 
are required to pay their boarding. Some board at the school; others board at home. 
The whole number in attendance during the first year was 104. The object of this 
school was to furnish an education in the English and Siamese languages to as many 
as can be accommodated. 

The King has not afforded educational advantages to the people throughout the 
country, as has been stated. I think His Majesty wishes to open other schools, but 
they must make an experiment with this one first and see how it succeeds. This is 
the only government school in the country where English is taught. 

There is a school numbering about 60 pupils and supported by the King where the 
Siamese language only is taught. 

Besides these government schools there are several private schools, besides those 
managed by the missionary societies. 
Yours, 

L. G. McFARLAND. 



